The present invention relates to the field of toy construction sets.
Marble track construction toys are known in the art whereby a spherical marble is pulled along a number of vertically oriented track segments by the force of gravity. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,620 issued to Tobin, a marble track having a number of separated track segments is constructed upon a vertical surface such as the door of a refrigerator. The track components include marble containing U-shaped chutes, tilted downwardly to enable gravity to pull the marble along the path of the track segments by gravity. As illustrated in the sole figure of the Tobin patent, the marble transporting track segments or chutes are magnetically mounted upon a paramagnetic refrigerator door. Various bumper devices for reversing the direction of the marble exiting one track segment chute to be inserted into the entrance of another U-shaped track segment chute are provided such as bumper 140. Other types of direction reversing devices are provided between the U-shaped track chutes having relatively complex pivotable elements 120. As in the present invention, the track segments and direction reversing devices can be vertically positioned upon the refrigerator door, to create a downward marble transport path that can be made infinitely variable.
However, the marble transport members of the Tobin patent extend a considerable distance from the vertical oriented wall of the refrigerator. This is readily apparent from reading the patent description along with viewing the sole figure. This is a disadvantage because relatively bulky components can be knocked off of the refrigerator door and thus create danger of slipping on such objects on the floor and/or breaking them.
In contrast with the aforesaid prior art, the present invention provides components that do not protrude very far from the refrigerator door, and the resulting component flatness deters dislodging the components from the door. Furthermore such flatness eases mailing of the components via the postal system. Also, the manufacturing costs and cost of shipping the flat components are relatively small compared to the Tobin marble transport members.
The desired flat and compact arrangement of the present invention is attained by altogether eliminating the spherical marble riding in the aforesaid U-shaped transport chutes and replacing the marble with a thin flat-faced spinner member having a narrow axle that rides on an upper edge portion of the flat track segments, magnetically positioned upon a refrigerator door. The spinner member has a large diameter front flat-faced disk that simulates a large marble that would require wide U-shaped track chutes which extend even further from the door which is undesirable as discussed. Also, the vertical side walls of the prior art U-shaped chutes partially obscure the marble transported therein, which is undesirable.
Another very important advantage of my larger, flat-faced spinner, is that it is less likely to be swallowed by a child, in contrast with the marble; also the marble can more readily roll under the refrigerator or other pieces of furniture and can be a nuisance to retrieve. Since the front disk and flat track segments are relatively large and flat compared to a marble, it is easier to apply more dramatic colorful graphic designs to both the flat track segments and rotating front disk. For example a spiral motif can be interesting as the spinner rotates while it descends along the path defined by the tracks. The spinner thus can convey the visual impression of a giant marble. If the prior art were to use a very large marble to achieve the same benefits, the aforesaid U-shaped tracks would be very wide and the entire toy would be very bulky and cumbersome.